4 Things In Your Business That Cost You More Than You Think

Turning a profit requires more than a fantastic idea and the will to succeed. Even after reaching your sales goals, you may still have a disappointing bottom line. To improve the performance of your business, you should pay attention to the gross profit of a sale as well as the following things that may cost you more than you think.

Utilities

You most likely have a facility or workspace that you use to operate your business. In this space, you need to pay for the electricity you need to keep the lights on. Similarly, you need to pay for the energy that you need for water, heating and cooling.

Small business owners can easily forget to include their utility costs as they set prices for their goods. Avoid this by monitoring your costs and adjusting your selling prices to compensate for them. Investing in energy efficient light bulbs or appliances comes with an upfront cost but will save on utility bills in the long run. If your office incorporates natural sunlight into lighting, simply turning off the office lights and using the sunlight will help reduce the electric bill.

Printing Supplies

More than ever before, businesses depend on computers and the cloud to do their work. Despite this dependence on digital resources, you still need to print invoices, receipts and other documents. This costs money.

Printer ink, for example, can cost more than you think. Therefore, do everything possible to reduce the number of pages printed by your business and acquire an efficient printer. Buying ink in bulk will also generally reduce the cost per ink cartridge.

Crime

Have you ever thought how much of your business expenses are the result of criminal threats? Consider how much you spend on the antivirus software and security systems that you need to safeguard your facility and data.

In addition to security measures, you also need to allow for the cost of being a victim of crimes such as shoplifting and vandalism. Minor investments will help keep your company safe and reduce the burden that crime imposes upon your company. However, some of the most effective strategies are free, and only require things like adjusting your office layout, reducing the amount of cash stored in the cash registers, or training employees in security awareness and procedures.

Taxes

As a business owner, local, state and federal taxes can take a chunk out of your profits. As a matter of fact, you may be paying more in taxes than you think, causing you to lose money, even on transactions that seem profitable.

For starters, make sure that you are aware of all the taxes that you owe, including the licenses and permits. While you may use an outside source to file your taxes for you, learning now what you may be expected to cover in the future will prepare you now. Afterward, make sure that your price strategy allows you to operate at an after-tax profit. Research in what tax credits you are able to claim. Knowledge and pre-planning will ensure that operate with a profitable margin.

In summary, creating a profit for your business involves more than selling something for more than it cost you. As you pay attention to the indirect costs above that cost you more than you think, you may find other expenses that are dramatically affecting your business. Accurately accounting for these things can help your business successful and profitable for a long time.

For more information on business tips and cost saving advice, check out these articles: